Enough has been said about Duke Dumont‘s rise to DJ stardom over the duration of 2014 and 2015. At this point, he’s become as synonymous with mainstream dance music as artists like Skrillex, Daft Punk, or Calvin Harris and he does what he does well; as far as repackaging your inspirations into easily digestible house treats, Duke Dumont doesn’t normally stray away from his tried and true neo-house structure. Pop, after all, is what pays the bills and what keeps the ADD-riddled generation of 20-somethings interested in your brand.
In this sense, his latest EP Blasé Boys Club Pt. I is more of the same from the English producer: a series of tracks that draw from a colorful palette of influences ranging from 90’s vocal house like Robin S to the downtempo 2-step patterns utilized by Duke Dumont’s peers Disclosure. This gives the tracks on his new EP an odd feeling of patchwork. It is as if he stitched his favorite pieces from the past 25 years of dance music into a quilt that’s supposed to pay homage to his heroes. He succeeds, but at the cost of leaving us suspecting like we’ve been here before.
For starters, “Won’t Look Back,” is not just an older track, but one that was previously released on Duke Dumont’s EP 1 less than a year ago making its inclusion welcome, but redundant. As for new material, “Robert Owens Talking,” while it shines in its ability to repurpose the the pure energy of the warehouse circa 1980’s Chicago, ultimately feels too much like Daft Punk’s “Giorgio by Moroder” on 2013’s Random Access Memories as Owens discusses Chicago with the same glimmer that Moroder had when he discussed disco. As far as structure goes, the focus of disco and funk as the backbone for classic house makes for an entertaining affair when the Duke is in charge. It shows a fun side to Duke Dumont that is often seen in his sets, but rarely put on display as a producer. Ultimately, however, it’s a case of too similar, too soon given Daft Punk’s “Moroder” is barely 2 years old.
“Melt,” the other track making its debut on this EP release, is on a whole new wavelength altogether. Starting off with a shuffling 2-step rhythm reminiscent of the loungier side of Disclosure’s Settle – the track “Second Chance” comes to mind – “Melt” subsides into a sultry plea for intimacy as the vocals beg for closeness and kisses in an eargasmic pool of lush soundscapes. This is the Duke Dumont that breaches past pop music formula to create something approachable for the masses while maintaining the elegance and deep feels that got him here to begin with; just look at “The Giver” for reference. This is also a major feature on “Ocean Drive,” a track that asks us to reevaluate our rapport with 80’s synthpop for the first time since Kavinsky’s “Nightcall” over 4 years ago. These two tracks are the crown jewels of the EP: shining examples of how to pay tribute to your peers and your guilty pleasures without feeling cheap or evil.
Despite it’s unevenness, Duke Dumont’s Blasé Boys Club premiere is an enjoyable romp and hopefully a glimpse as to where he wants to take his career – as long as his trajectory doesn’t stray too far into novelty, kitsch, or unnecessary detours into waters already traveled.
Blasé Boys Club, Pt. I is now available on all digital marketplaces.